Balkan`s Slow Food Made via Milk Fermentation (Forgotten Recipes Revival and ready for your multicooker to try)
Rodopska Branza (also known as Kurkmach cheese or Goatskin cheese)
Traditionally, the Rodopska Branza is made with a mix of sheep's and goat's milk, but again, any mixture of milk can be used. The milk used will determine the end amount of cheese, as sheep's or buffalo’s milk tends to provide more cheese at the end due to their high-fat content.
The taste is similar/but not the same as mozzarella and the texture is like soft crumbled feta cheese.
The Rodopska Branza is better described as stirred steamed cheese
You will need:
1. 4L of milk
2. Cheesecloth
3. Rennet
A large multi-cooker could help to speed up the processing of the milk. Yes, it will be still slow food if you speed up with a few hours.
How to prepare:
1. Warm the milk at low heat to 40C. You can use a stove double boiler or a multi-cooker
2. Then remove from the stove (if you use a stove) and add rennet. The exact amount depends on the rennet itself as it comes with different strengths. Normally, the rennet manufacturer adds the recommended dose in the instructions.
3. Stir well with a clean wooden spoon.
4. There are two things to look for—coagulation time—which is the point where flecks of curd first appear on a spatula or slide dipped into the milk, and set time - which is the point where the curd will break cleanly and exude clear whey. Coagulation time is about half that of setting time, so typically, coagulation using single strength rennet requires 15-20 minutes, followed by setting at 30-40 minutes, but it could take another hour or a total of 3 hours for that amount of milk in some rare cases.
5. After the curd breaks clean (visible separation of curd and whey), stir well with a wooden spoon.
6. Cover the container with the lid and at low heat, 40C, simmer for 40-60 min. Use a wooden clean spoon to stir.
7. There will be two components that form: curds that look like steamed cheese and whey.
8. Now transfer the curds to cheesecloth to help the straining process for 2-3 days at a cool, dry place.
9. After 2-3 days It's time to take it out from the cheesecloth and cut it into small pieces as well to add salt. The salt required is 2% salt measured from the weight of the cheese. In other words, 5L of milk will deliver 500 or 600 grams of cheese and will need one tablespoon (15 ml or 10 grams) of salt. The best salt to be used is so-called kosher salt which is not iodized as the iodine adds a bitter aftertaste.
So measure the total amount of cheese and add 2% of salt. Stir, cover, and leave for 24 hours so the last can dissolve well.
10. Last step: Check if the salt is fully dissolved and invisible. Stir well and transfer to jars. Keep it in the fridge for a few months.
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